The rings of a tree reveal a lot more than its age. Not just a timeline of disease, disaster, pollution, and prosperity, they tell a story of survival and resilience.

Job transitions are like the rings in the tree of a career. They are benchmarks for the accumulated accomplishments, skills, and learning moments of an employment experience. At no other time in our lives are we more motivated to take inventory of what we’ve accomplished, what we would do differently next time, and where we’re headed next in our careers.

No matter how or when your role ends, the challenge is to be prepared mentally and materially so that you can keep perspective in a situation when you may feel an overwhelming mix of emotions.

The ability to act decisively and professionally no matter what can make the difference between a collegial parting of ways and a hurtful mess.